Vehicle panel handle assembly

ABSTRACT

A vehicle panel handle assembly including a handle lever that rotates around a first rotation axis between a resting position where the panel is closed and an opening position where the panel is open is disclosed. A latch lever cooperates with the handle lever for opening the panel when the handle lever rotates around the first rotation axis for reaching the opening position. The assembly also includes a counterweight for preventing the unwilling rotation of the handle lever, the counterweight rotating around a third rotation axis between rest position in which the latch lever is prevented from rotating due to the handle and counterweight mass balancing, and a unrest position wherein the latch lever is not prevented from rotating. An inertial mass takes a blocking position by cooperating with at least a part of the latch lever and a rest position by being taken away from the latch lever.

The invention relates to a vehicle panel handle assembly comprising ahandle lever configured to rotate around a first rotation axis, a latchlever configured to cooperate with the handle lever for opening thepanel when the handle lever rotates around the first rotation axis, thesaid main lever being rotatable around a second rotation axis, acounterweight configured for preventing the unwilling rotation of thehandle lever, being movable in rotation around a third rotation axis,and an inertial mass intended to take a blocking position by cooperatingwith at least a part of the latch lever and a rest position by beingtaken away from the latch lever, the said inertial mass being moveablein rotation around a fourth rotation axis.

It is known a vehicle panel handle wherein a handle lever is configuredto rotate around a first rotation axis between a rest position whereinthe panel, usually a door, is closed and an opening position wherein thepanel is open. This handle lever cooperates with a latch lever androtates this latter around a second rotation axis. The latch leveractivates a Bowden cable in order to open the latch of the panel in theopening position.

During the rotation to open the panel, the latch lever engages acounterweight through usually an arm. The counterweight is typicallyequipped with a coil spring located around the rotation axis. The saidcoil spring determines the actuation force of the handle lever duringthe normal panel opening and brings back in the rest position theassembly of the handle when the user releases the handle lever.

The counterweight is also configured for balancing the handle mass andfor preventing the unwilling rotation of the handle lever during a caraccident. Specifically, the counterweight is configured to rotate arounda third rotation axis between a rest position wherein the latch lever isprevented from rotating and an unrest position wherein the latch leveris free to rotate.

During a vehicle accident, the inertial loads exert on the handle andalso on the assembly positive and negative accelerations.

Usually, during positive acceleration, which corresponds to an inertialload exiting from the door, the counterweight is configured to block thelatch lever due to the connection between the latch lever and thecounterweight. Consequently the handle is blocked. After a positiveacceleration, usually a negative acceleration occurs. Such negativeacceleration corresponds to the inertial load coming through the panel.The handle is pushed against the panel and does not act onto the latchlever. The latch lever then stays in the rest position without acting onthe latch. During the negative acceleration phase, the counterweight isfree to rotate until the end of stroke but the said counterweight doesnot act on the latch lever. Therefore, the Bowden cable is hold in restposition and the latch remains closed as well as the vehicle panel.

Sometimes, the handle undergoes again a change in the inertial loaddirection. Therefore, the counterweight undergoes again a positiveacceleration. In this condition, the counterweight due to is previousrotation during the negative acceleration, is not pushing on the latchlever. The latch lever is then free to move. The latch lever is then notengaged with the counterweight anymore and the handle may be opened veryquickly.

It is known to use an inertial mass for preventing such issue but suchknown handles is not efficient enough.

There is thus a need for providing a vehicle panel handle with a betterlevel of security during a car accident when a positive accelerationfollows a negative acceleration.

Therefore, according to one aspect, the present invention relates to avehicle panel handle assembly comprising:

-   -   a handle lever configured to rotate around a first rotation axis        between a resting position wherein the panel is closed and an        opening position wherein the panel is open,    -   a latch lever intended to cooperate with the handle lever for        opening the panel when the handle lever rotates around the first        rotation axis for reaching the opening position, the said latch        lever being configured for rotating around a second rotation        axis,    -   a counterweight configured for preventing the unwilling rotation        of the handle lever, the counterweight being capable of rotating        around a third rotation axis between rest position wherein the        latch lever is prevented from rotating due to the handle and        counterweight mass balancing, and a unrest position wherein the        latch lever is not prevented from rotating,    -   an inertial mass intended to take a blocking position by        cooperating with at least a part of the latch lever and a rest        position by being taken away from the latch lever, the said        inertial mass being configured to rotate around a fourth        rotation axis, wherein the fourth rotation axis is mounted on        the counterweight.

Thanks to the disposition of fourth rotation axis mounted directly onthe counterweight, the rotation of the inertial mass is done morequickly as in the known panel handle since a lower rotation of theinertial mass is needed for blocking the latch lever. There is no timefor the handle to be opened when the handle undergoes a positiveacceleration after a negative acceleration. The vehicle panel handle ofthe invention thus avoids any opening of the panel by preventing anyrotation of the handle lever during a car accident.

Therefore, the present invention improves the security of the userplaced inside the vehicle by a cooperation of four rotation axes of theelements of the assembly.

Furthermore, the assembly of the present invention may be employed ontohandle presenting different type of design, in particular onto any griphandle with different shape and mass.

In a simple and cheapest way, the assembly of the present inventionenables the improvement of the security in case of a car accidentwithout amending the exterior aspect neither of the handle nor of thepanel.

The present invention may also comprise the following features takenalone or in combination:

-   -   the inertial mass rotates around a pin having a rotation axis        corresponding to the fourth rotation axis,    -   the pin passes through hole and/or recess made in the        counterweight and in the inertial mass,    -   the pin comprises means for preventing the inertial mass from        moving along the said pin,    -   the first, second, third and fourth rotation axes are disposed        sensibly parallel to each other,    -   the counterweight has an elongated shape and the second axis is        disposed between the first and the third axes,    -   a stopper is put on the bracket or on/in the counterweight so        that the inertial mass is prevented from too high rotation        angle.

The invention also relates to a vehicle panel handle comprising anassembly according to the invention and a vehicle comprising suchvehicle panel handle. Advantageously, the panel may be a side door or atrunk.

The present invention will be better understood at the light of thefollowing description given as example and illustrated by the followingdrawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of safety assembly of theinvention,

FIG. 2 is a cross view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in case of lowpositive acceleration, also called static balancing,

FIG. 3 is a cross view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 at low negativeacceleration,

FIG. 4 is a cross view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 at positive higheracceleration.

On all figures, the same references relate to the same elements.

According to the invention, the vehicle panel handle assembly enablesthe opening of a panel of an automotive vehicle.

Such panel may be a door, such as a side door, or even a trunk.

As illustrated in all figures, the assembly of the invention comprises:

-   -   a handle lever 1 configured to rotate around a first rotation        axis 3 between a resting position wherein the panel (not shown)        is closed and an opening position wherein the panel is open,    -   a latch lever 5 intended to cooperate with the handle lever 1        for opening the panel when the handle lever 1 rotates around the        first rotation axis 3 for reaching the opening position, the        said latch lever 5 being configured for rotating around a second        rotation axis 7,    -   a counterweight 9 configured for preventing the unwilling        rotation of the handle lever 1, the counterweight 9 being        capable of rotating around a third rotation axis 11 between rest        position wherein the latch lever 5 is prevented from rotating        due to the handle and counterweight mass balancing, and a unrest        position wherein the latch lever 5 is not prevented from        rotating,    -   an inertial mass 12 intended to take a blocking position by        cooperating with at least a part of the latch lever 5 and a rest        position by being taken away from the latch lever 5, the said        inertial mass 12 being configured to rotate around a fourth        rotation axis 14,    -   wherein the fourth rotation axis 14 is mounted on the        counterweight 9.

The disposition of the fourth rotation axis mounted directly on thecounterweight enables a speed of rotation of the inertial mass morequickly than the one in the known panel handles. Indeed, thanks to theinvention, only a rotation with a small angle is needed for blocking thelatch lever. The handle is then blocked well before the inertial loadtends to open the said handle when the said handle undergoes a positiveacceleration after a negative one. The vehicle panel handle of theinvention thus avoids any opening of the panel by preventing anyrotation of the handle lever during a side impact.

Furthermore, the panel handle of the present invention may be employedto handle with different kind of shape and specifically to heavy handle.

In a simple and not costly way, the handle of the present inventionenables improving the security in case of car accident without amendingthe exterior aspect of the handle and of the panel.

The handle also may comprise a support also called “bracket”, not shown,on which the handle lever 1, the latch lever 5 and the counterweight 9are mounted. The support may be fixed in the panel. Advantageously, thesupport may be able to receive the first 3, second 7 and third 11 axes.

The handle lever 1 rotates around the first axis 3. For this purpose,the handle lever 1 may have a part, here localized sensibly at an end15, forming an opening, a hole 17 or a recess. The said hole or recessmay have a shape sensibly of a U or V. A pin (not shown), for examplefixed or belonging to the support or to the panel, may go through theopening, the hole 17 or the recess of the handle lever authorizing therotation of the said handle lever 1 around the first axis 3. The firstrotation axis movement is transmitted to the rest of the handle lever 1by a piece with a sensibly curved shape for enabling the handle lever 1to move outside the panel. Indeed, for esthetic reason, the handle levermay be placed so that only a part 19 intended to be gripped by the useris visible from the outside of the automotive vehicle.

The handle lever 1 may also comprise means for cooperating with thelatch lever 5. The said means may be for example a pin 23 configured formaking the latch lever 1 rotate. In this perspective, the pin 23 mayhave a recess or an outgrowth 25 capable of cooperating withrespectively an outgrowth or a recess 27 made in a part of the latchlever 1.

The said latch lever 5 is connected to a Bowden cable (not shown) linkedto the latch (not shown). Once the latch lever 5 rotates around thesecond axis 7, the Bowden cable activates the latch and then the panelis open.

For providing the rotation movement, the latch lever 5 may have anopening 41 made through the body of the latch lever intended to receivea pin (not shown) mounted on the support or on the panel.

The support may also comprise a fixed part 21 (see FIGS. 2 and 3)enabling a part of the handle lever 1 to be inserted through or fixed onthe said fixed part 21. The said fixed part 21 may be configured forreceiving a control element such as a lock 29 intended to receive a key(see FIGS. 2 and 3). For this purpose the said fixed part 21 may delimita recess (not visible) for receiving the said lock 29.

The said fixed part 21 is fixed relative to the mobile handle lever 1capable of rotating around the first axis 3.

According to the present embodiment, the latch lever 5 is put betweenthe around first axis 3 and the pin 23 of the handle lever.

The counterweight 9 is configured for preventing the unwilling rotationof the handle lever 1, specifically at low acceleration during a caraccident. The counterweight 9 has an elongated shape around alongitudinal axis 31. The said counterweight 9 may have a sensiblyparallelepiped shape with a length sensibly higher than the thicknessaccording to the longitudinal axis 31.

The said counterweight 9 is movable in rotation around a third rotationaxis 11. In this purpose, the said counterweight may have a part formingwith an opening 43 through which a pin fixed or belonging to the supportmay pass. Said opening 43 may be made at an end of the counterweight.

The counterweight 9 may rotate around the third rotation axis 11. Thesaid counterweight 9 comes into abutment against a part of the latchlever 5. Thus, the movement of the counterweight is determined by thelatch lever in case of handle manual activation or it's free in case ofnegative acceleration phase.

The said part may be an arm (not shown) intended to cooperate with arecess or an outgrowth (not shown) of the latch lever 5 which is asimple configuration.

In the rest position corresponding to the normal use, the counterweightis placed in contact with the latch lever so that the user can normallypull the handle lever which will make the latch lever rotate and thenactivate the latch for opening the panel by feeling the counterweightspring force.

According to the invention, the inertial mass 12 is intended to take ablocking position by cooperating with at least a part of the latch lever5 and a rest position by being taken away from the latch lever 5, thesaid inertial mass 12 being configured to rotate around a fourthrotation axis 14. The fourth rotation axis 14 is mounted directly on thecounterweight 9.

In other words, the fourth rotation axis 14 is a line going through thecounterweight 9.

Therefore, the rotation of the inertial mass 12 is linked to therotation of the counterweight 9. The delay between these two rotationsis then well reduced enabling a quick blocking of the handle.

In the present embodiment, the inertial mass 12 is attached to thecounterweight 9 by a side wall 50 of said counterweight.

The inertial mass may have an end 52 designed for cooperating with apart 53 of the latch lever 5. The said part 53 may be form a recesswherein the said end 52 is intended to be received after the rotation ofthe inertial mass 12.

A stopper 56 may be put on the bracket or on/in the counterweight 9 sothat the inertial mass 12 is prevented from too high rotation angle. Inthis perspective, the inertial mass comprises an end 57, the oppositeend of the end 52 cooperating with the latch lever 5, which isconfigured to cooperate with the stopper 56.

The said stopper 56 may be of any shape, in particular in an elongatedshape.

The inertial mass 12 may rotates around a pin 51 having a rotation axiscorresponding to the fourth rotation axis.

The pin may belong to the inertial mass. In this configuration, the pinis then received in a hole or a recess made in the counterweight.

The pin may be fixed or belongs to the counterweight 9 and the inertialmass 12 may comprise a hole for receiving such pin.

In the present embodiment, the pin 51 passes through hole and/or recessmade in the counterweight 9 and in the inertial mass 12. Thanks to theinvention, the counterweight mass can be reduced because the inertialmass contributes to the counterweight mass. The pin may comprise means55 for preventing the inertial mass 12 from moving along the said pin51.

According to an embodiment, the first 3, second 7, third 11 and fourth14 rotation axes are disposed sensibly parallel to each other.

In case the counterweight 9 has an elongated shape along a longitudinalaxis 31, the second axis 7 may be disposed between the first 3 and thethird axes 11.

In the normal use, the inertial mass 12 is in the unblocking positionwhich means that the counterweight 9 cooperates with the latch lever 7by the protrusions 60 and 61. The inertial mass 12 is placed away fromthe latch lever 7 so that the user can normally pull the handle lever 1which will make the latch lever 3 rotate around the second axis 7, thecounterweight 9 rotates around the third axis 11 and then activate thelatch for opening the panel.

In case of an impact, a positive acceleration occurs. A force 100 isapplied to the panel 101. The panel 101 and also the support of thehandle 1 of the invention are deformed leading to the rotation of thehandle lever 1 around the first rotation axis 3 (arrows 102, 103 and104). The means 23 will therefore tend to rotate the latch lever 5around the second axis 7 (arrow 105). At law acceleration, thecounterweight 9 stays in rest position and stops the rotation of thelatch lever 5. At higher acceleration, the inertial mass 12 then rotatesquickly around the fourth rotation axis 14 (arrow 107) which leads tothe engagement of the end 52 of the inertial mass 12 inside the part 53of the latch lever. Due to the presence of the stopper 56, the inertialmass rotation is limited. Therefore, the latch lever 5 is blocked by theinertial mass 12 and also the counterweight 9.

In case of a bouncing movement, which means that a negative accelerationfollows the positive acceleration which is responsible of theapplication of a force 200 applied to the panel 101 in a directionopposite to the direction of the force due to the positive acceleration.The panel 101 and also the support of the handle 1 of the invention aredeformed so that the handle lever rotates in the opposite directionaround the first axis 3 (see arrow 202, 203 and 204). The handle is thenpushed close to the panel. The counterweight 9 also undergoes therotation in the same direction as the one of the lever handle 19 butaround the third axis 11. The counterweight 9 then rotates at the end ofstroke position, also called unrest position. The inertial mass 12undergoes a torque 207 in the opposite direction than the one 206applied to the counterweight 9. Therefore, the inertial mass 12 remainsin the locking position, the latch lever 5 remains blocked and cannotactivated the latch.

Thanks to the invention, the latch cannot be activated during positiveacceleration and negative acceleration sequences.

In case of a normal use, the handle lever is rotated around the firstrotation axis by the pulling of the said handle lever by the user. Thelatch lever then rotates around the second rotation axis which leads tothe rotation of the counterweight around the third rotation axis. Theinertial mass is also free to rotate so that the latch lever can act onthe latch.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A vehicle panel handle assembly comprising:a handle lever configured to rotate around a first rotation axis betweena resting position wherein the panel is closed and an opening positionwherein the panel is open; a latch lever configured to enable a rotationwith the handle lever for opening the panel when the handle leverrotates around the first rotation axis for reaching the openingposition, the latch lever being configured for rotating around a secondrotation axis; a counterweight configured for preventing the unwillingrotation of the handle lever, the counterweight being capable ofrotating around a third rotation axis between rest position wherein thelatch lever is prevented from rotating due to the handle andcounterweight mass balancing, and a unrest position wherein the latchlever is not prevented from rotating; and an inertial mass intended totake a blocking position by cooperating with at least a part of thelatch lever and a rest position by being taken away from the latchlever, the inertial mass being configured to rotate around a fourthrotation axis, wherein the fourth rotation axis is mounted on thecounterweight.
 2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein theinertial mass rotates around a pin having a rotation axis correspondingto the fourth rotation axis.
 3. The assembly according to claim 2,wherein the pin passes through hole and/or recess made in thecounterweight and in the inertial mass.
 4. The assembly according toclaim 2, wherein the pin comprises means for preventing the inertialmass from moving along the pin.
 5. The assembly according to claim 1,wherein the first, second, third and fourth rotation axes are disposedsensibly parallel to each other.
 6. The assembly according to claim 1,wherein the counterweight has an elongated shape and the second axis isdisposed between the first and the third axes.
 7. The assembly accordingto claim 1, wherein a stopper is put on the bracket or on/in thecounterweight so that the inertial mass is prevented from too highrotation angle.
 8. A vehicle panel handle comprising an assemblyaccording to claim
 1. 9. A vehicle comprising a vehicle panel handleaccording to claim
 8. 10. The vehicle according to claim 9, wherein thepanel is a side door or a trunk.